


A mortal lock

by who_seeks_shall_find



Series: Life as I see it [20]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: F/M, Family, Love, Marriage, Relationship Discussions, post-season 6, the Overwatch, the green arrow
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-24
Updated: 2018-06-24
Packaged: 2019-05-27 18:28:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,942
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15030680
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/who_seeks_shall_find/pseuds/who_seeks_shall_find
Summary: Being the Green Arrow is a vital part of Oliver. After his imprisonment, he wants to put the hood back on but first, he wants to talk about it with his family. He knows he has already made too many decisions without consulting them and he's not going to make that mistake again.





	A mortal lock

**Author's Note:**

> This is a part of the series about Oliver's imprisonment and a year after it. This drabble takes place after 25 days of Oliver's release from prison.
> 
> I'm going to write a series which will be updated once a day (if it's just possible). It's going to include 122 drabbles about Oliver, Felicity, William and other characters who are involved in their lives. Therefore, it's going to take approximately four months to finish the series. The drabbles are linked to each other but they're NOT in a CHRONOLOGICAL order. That's why, there may also be gaps or blanks which are filled in later.
> 
> I wish that every character is respected without unnecessary hatred.
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

It was already very late but Oliver was still sitting in his mayoral office. He had had a long day and he had to decide if it was going to be even longer. He needed to choose whether he was going out to patrol or not and it made him quite nervous. Officially, it would be his first time after his imprisonment although he had already done some Green Arrow related stuff. 

Oliver rubbed his temples and closed his eyes. He hadn’t gone out there yet because he had wanted to concentrate on his family. There had been and there still was many unresolved feelings and arguments. Besides, their old bunker and equipment had been burned down by Diaz. 

However, now he had been back in Star City for twenty-five days and it felt like it was time to put the hood back on. Still he had something on his mind bothering him but he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. It was like he needed a sign from the universe when it was time to stop. He needed to know when everything was going to end although he wasn’t ready for it yet.

Oliver opened his eyes and looked a picture of Felicity, William and him while thinking of his family. They had talked about being the Green Arrow with William and Felicity as a family because he really appreciated and respected their opinions. He also wanted to learn from his past mistakes. William and Felicity had agreed that being the Green Arrow was something that he shouldn’t give up on. He was extremely lucky to have them by his side. 

Suddenly, Oliver felt how much he missed his family although he had seen them in the morning. After missing them for six months in the prison, he felt like he was entitled to miss them a little more. They were his rock and light so it broke his heart once more when he thought what he had done to his family. He had let his fears to take over and it had almost cost him everything.

Oliver gently touched the picture with his fingertips and shook his head because now it wasn’t the time to think about those times. Oliver had a bad habit to live in the past and it wasn’t going to help him to move on. Diggle had once said that moving on didn’t mean forgetting but it meant learning to live with the fact that you screwed up. He needed to concentrate on the moment in hand and how to make everything better now. 

Oliver stood up and started pacing. They had a new secret hideout and they had replaced the old equipment. He had also talked to Curtis, Rene and Dinah. They weren’t going to form the team again but they were going to cooperate. They were friends after all. John was going to help him more actively and Felicity would be his eyes and ears in the field. Oliver was sure that she had really missed action and her eagerness made him smile.

It seemed like everything was settled. He just had to make the decision but his thoughts were interrupted by his ringing phone. Oliver picked it up without looking the caller’s ID while he sat down again. 

Felicity chirped from the other side of the line: “Hi, babe.”

“Hi,” Oliver replied with a soft voice.

“You’re not at home. Therefore, I decided to ask if tonight is the night. Are you going out to patrol? Are you at our new bunker?” Felicity asked cheerfully.

“I’m still at the City Hall,” Oliver said without further explanation.

They were silent for a while and eventually Felicity asked: “Are you having second thoughts?”

Oliver shook his head but realized that Felicity couldn’t see him. Then he answered out loud: “Not exactly. I want to find Diaz and your stalker who have sent those disgusting threats for way too long. I want to protect everyone I love and I want to make the city safer.”

“There is a but coming,” Felicity presumed.

Oliver sighed and drummed his fingers against the desk before saying: “I know why I want to be the Green Arrow. It’s who I am and I’m not questioning that part. I need to help everyone who accept my help and I want to honor the people I have lost. I also must keep you and William safe. Besides, I know that William and you support me and my decision. Yet, I’m wondering when this is going to stop. When am I done? When are we done because I’m sure as hell that crimes will never stop taking place in this city.”

Felicity didn’t answer immediately but after a while she said: “Oliver, honey. Let’s think other big, life-changing steps you have taken in your life. Name one.”

“Marrying you,” Oliver responded instantly.

There was a silence for a moment but Oliver could hear Felicity smiling when she spoke again: “I like that example. You can be sappy if you want, Mr. Queen.”

”I do my best,” Oliver laughed.

Then Felicity continued: “Anyways, let’s talk about us getting married. If my memory serves me right, you proposed me a few times before I finally asked you to marry me. When did you decide that you wanted to marry me? When did you decide that you loved me so much that you wanted to make me your wife?”

“Is this a tricky question?” Oliver asked cautiously.

“No, Oliver. This isn’t a tricky question. There isn’t a wrong answer. At least I think there isn’t so let’s see,” Felicity teased him.

Oliver thought it through and answered truthfully: “Honestly, I don’t know. I just knew but it wasn’t like there was a huge moment when I realized I wanted to marry you. I guess it wasn’t even conscious. I was sure about you and us. I was sure that I wanted to be with you for the rest of my life but I don’t know when I made the decision. Imagining my life without you became unbearable. It just felt right.”

“I love you, Oliver,” Felicity whispered and her voice was thick with emotions.

“I love you, too,” Oliver rushed to say.

Then Felicity cleared her throat and reasoned: “You asked when you are done being the Green Arrow. If it doesn’t feel right, giving up on the hood won’t be the right decision now. You’ll know when it’s time to give it up because you just know it. It’s like marrying me or doing any other life-changing decision. It just feels right. You’re done when you want to be done.”

Oliver thought his intelligent and beautiful wife and her words before responding. Then he said: “Thank you. You’re right.”

“You know those words are music to my ears,” Felicity said and Oliver could hear her laughing.

The silence fell between them once again but soon Oliver asked: “Am I doing the right decision when I’m not asking Curtis, Dinah and Rene back to the team? We have talked and forgiven each other but I think we work better separately. They are our friends. I trust and respect them but everything went down so quickly last time.”

“You have to trust on your gut, Oliver. We all are going to cooperate and combine our teams if necessary. I will always have your back and John is also going to be there as much as he can although it’s different now that he works for ARGUS. It’s not exactly the old team Arrow but we’re still family and we have each other’s backs,” Felicity answered immediately.

“Thank you, Felicity. I mean it,” Oliver said and now his voice was thick with the emotions.

“You don’t have to thank me. I want you safe and here but I also want you to be you. If I never told you not to be the Green Arrow, I would take away an essential piece that makes you who you are. I know that William agrees with me nowadays. I love you for you, Oliver. Working with you and saving the city are beyond important for me, too. I love being the Overwatch. I want to build my life with you and I need you to share your decisions with me. I’m grateful for this phone call because now you’re actually telling me what is going on,” Felicity confessed.

Oliver gulped and stated: “I know what being the Overwatch means to you and I’m eternally grateful for your help. I also want to share everything with you but I don’t always know how to trust myself. I want you to be safe all the time.”

“I know, Oliver. I even have a bodyguard with me almost all the time which annoys me beyond anything. It annoys me even more than your brooding,” Felicity complained.

Oliver chuckled although he knew that his wife serious. They were constantly arguing about her security details. Luckily, John agreed with Oliver so Felicity was having her bodyguard always when she was alone. However, Felicity had made it clear that she wanted to be “released from her clutches” after Diaz and her stalker had been caught.

After a while Felicity asked: “So are you going out tonight?”

“Yes. I really have to work on the leads which can help us to find Diaz. Besides, I need to know what is going on in the City,” Oliver said instantly.

“Yesssssss,” Felicity squeaked and Oliver could hear how she jumped up and walked around in her heels.

“I’ll you see at our new bunker,” she informed him breathlessly before hanging up.

Oliver didn’t even have a chance to say goodbye because his wife was already on move. He looked at his silent phone for a while and shook his head with amusement. He put his phone on the table and thought about Felicity who really had missed the action. Being a hero was a part of her DNA, too.

Oliver pressed his head on the back of his chair and he let his eyelids to shut down for a minute. It actually felt right to go out to patrol although everything had changed. The team dynamics were different and his identity wasn’t secret anymore. 

Oliver had to admit that everything was kind of easier now that he didn’t have to work in the shadows. Yet, he was sure that he was going to prefer working at night time. There were less civilians and the night air reminded him of his adventures. The night time actually calmed his nerves.

Oliver’s phone vibrated on his table again. Felicity had sent him a text which said: “911. Open your TV, any channel.”

Oliver took a remote and pressed a button. The screen flickered and soon he heard the words of the news reporter. There had been a large explosion in down town and at least forty people were trapped inside a building and possibly injured. Oliver didn’t believe in destiny but this seemed like a sign he had been waiting for. The city needed him and the truth to be told, he needed the city. It was a mortal lock.

Oliver grabbed his suit jacket from the back of his chair and headed out. He needed his gear before going there. As he ran out, he was thinking that someday he was going to give up on his hood but today wasn’t the day. His brilliant wife had been right. It didn’t feel right now but he trusted that he would know when the time was right. It was like marrying Felicity or becoming the Green Arrow in the first place.

**Author's Note:**

> Update for tomorrow:  
> Normally, Felicity isn't a jealous person but there are moments when she can't think rationally. She doesn't like the fact that sometimes women suggest things to Oliver. Especially, she hates it when those women sound just like Isabel Rochev.


End file.
